Preparing the Garden for Spring
Vegetable planning, winter recovery, and a perfect time to admire Central Valley blossoms
Hello, is spring almost here? Time for planning your spring and summer vegetables.
In the past, each February, I would start my summer vegetables from seed. I would source interesting varieties of tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, chili peppers and various summer squashes. Then would come preparing the seedling trays, planting, watering, and waiting ………..
In the past, each February, I would start my summer vegetables from seed. I would source interesting varieties of tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, chili peppers and various summer squashes. Then would come preparing the seedling trays, planting, watering, and waiting ………..
Realistically I needed only about 10 tomato plants and 5 or fewer plants of the other types of vegetables for my family’s consumption. But I would have germinated and coddled many many more seedlings of each type of plant! I have changed my ways now. I don’t start the commonly available vegetable plants from seed anymore. Instead, in March, I buy the 4-inch plants readily available in our local nurseries and big box stores. A large variety of tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, egg plants, squashes, along with a variety of tender herbs like basil and Thai basil are available in 4-inch pots and ready to be planted directly in the garden beds. While I look for variety in the plantings, I do not buy low-yield plants like melons and brassicas like cauliflower and cabbage. The only vegetables I start from seed are specialty beans like the Indian Papdi, bitter gourd, some varieties of okra and cilantro.
February is a good time to fertilize your plants to boost the new growth of spring. Roses, camellias, and all other flowering perennials will appreciate a dose of long lasting granular fertilizer. Note that camellias and azaleas prefer acid loving fertilizers while fruit trees and citrus can be fertilized with a sprinkling of fruit tree fertilizer or fertilizer spikes that can be hammered into the root zone. This is also a good time to inspect the root zones of your plants to see if the soil around the plants has eroded because of the rains or due to over-zealous leaf-blowing. If so, a few shovel-fulls of soil and/or compost will help cover up the exposed roots and get them on their way to recovery. If large sections of soil have eroded from the flower beds, this is the perfect time to order a dump truck worth of soil/compost and have it shoveled 3 to 4 inches deep into the flower beds.
This is also a great time to go on short drives through the Central Valley and enjoy the beautiful orchards in full bloom in various shades of white through pink. This is one of my favorite February activities and I hope you will give it a try.
February is a good time to fertilize your plants to boost the new growth of spring. Roses, camellias, and all other flowering perennials will appreciate a dose of long lasting granular fertilizer. Note that camellias and azaleas prefer acid loving fertilizers while fruit trees and citrus can be fertilized with a sprinkling of fruit tree fertilizer or fertilizer spikes that can be hammered into the root zone. This is also a good time to inspect the root zones of your plants to see if the soil around the plants has eroded because of the rains or due to over-zealous leaf-blowing. If so, a few shovel-fulls of soil and/or compost will help cover up the exposed roots and get them on their way to recovery. If large sections of soil have eroded from the flower beds, this is the perfect time to order a dump truck worth of soil/compost and have it shoveled 3 to 4 inches deep into the flower beds.
This is also a great time to go on short drives through the Central Valley and enjoy the beautiful orchards in full bloom in various shades of white through pink. This is one of my favorite February activities and I hope you will give it a try.